Nirvana, possibly the greatest band of all time?

Nirvana is definitely not the best band of all-time. If they are so great, why do we not hear more of their music in all facets of culture, not just MTV and the other pop culture regurgitators? In my opinion, the title of best band of all-time is the Beatles, they did more for music than Nirvana could've ever hoped to accomplish...

 

Nirvana is terrible, they should never even be mentioned as a possibility for a Top 10 band.

 

Good but not the best!!

Axl.

 

"why do we not hear more of their music in all facets of culture, not just MTV"

You really on radio and MTV to tell you whats worth listening to? Oh, how i pity you!

 

Nirvana is terrible, they should never even be mentioned as a possibility for a Top 10 band.

Everybody should like the same things you like and dislike the things you dislike? Is that what you're saying?

 

Probably one of the most influential, but I wouldn't say that they are the best. I'd say the Beatles take that honour.

I was listening to Smells Like Teen Spirit yesterday, and is it just me, or are those lyrics totally confusing?

 

You really on radio and MTV to tell you whats worth listening to? Oh, how i pity you!

No, as a matter of fact I hate them, but they're the pop-culture regurgitators that create popularity...

 

"Everybody should like the same things you like and dislike the things you dislike? Is that what you're saying?"

Nope, I am simply exercising my right to something called an opinion. Nirvana has to be one of the most overrated bands of all time, they were original and good, but overhyped. If Kurt Cobain hadn't committed suicide, then they would have been nothing more than a trend and no one would be talking about them like they do today.

 

Nirvana has to be one of the most overrated bands of all time, they were original and good, but overhyped.

I so completely agree. It's as if these words came from my own mouth. Other bands were far more influential on music. Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam all did more for the Seattle music scene and pushed rock music into a new era.

And if one more person calls Cobain the voice of my generation I will freak. He never spoke for me nor did he speak for ANY of my friends.

 

Still the Beatles, folks, still the Beatles.

 

I was listening to Smells Like Teen Spirit yesterday, and is it just me, or are those lyrics totally confusing?

Cool though.

 

Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam all did more for the Seattle music scene and pushed rock music into a new era.

If you consider breaking up, dying, and selling out to produce elevator music ushering in a daring new era of music...

I love the bands, but you'd be amazed how many people have never heard of maybe 80% of Sub-Pop's former lineup, much less tried to imitate their sound. Do the Hives sound like Soundgarden to you? The closest you might get is something like Queens of the Stone Age.

 

dying

Layne Staley didn't pass away until this past April. Cobain passed away in 94 (I think..).

They both died, so I don't see how it has to do with anything. Personally, I feel that the deaths of both singers put their bands in the spotlight a little more... and with Nirvana, it helped them keep their popularity at the time for longer.

 

I'm aware that Alice in Chains hadn't done anything noteworthy but release box sets for years before Staley's death, but instead of typing all that out I just summarily said "dying" because it ensures that they'll never record another album again. That's the idea.

 

Ah, makes sense.
Yeah. In my opinion, once Kurt died, the media decided to push itself away from grunge. With him died the media's idea of grunge and something they could market with.. so they found other revenues.

 

Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam all did more for the Seattle music scene and pushed rock music into a new era.

If you consider breaking up, dying, and selling out to produce elevator music ushering in a daring new era of music...

Surely you are not suggesting that Pearl Jam sold out and is producing elevator music....

 

While Nevermind's massive influence is obvious, I find that when judging a band's "greatness," consistency and longevity have to be taken into account. I mean, Bleach was a rather generic Punk record, and In Utero had no where near the level of success Nevermind had. So really, it's possible that Nirvana had only one truly great record in them. Is that the mark of a "great" band?

Anyway, while I do think that Nevermind is an ass-kicking album, it's not that much superior to what The Pixies had done. And I think The Clash's London Calling is a far better "Rock" album that should have been so fortunate to recieve the massive MTV marketing that Nevermind got.

 

XV426 you certainly know your stuff. Great post and very true.


Pearl Jam certainly deserves the credit for starting the suburban rock-jock trend of the 90s (which has also bled into the new millenium).

Yeah something they never were nor did they like or WANT to start. They spent all of the mid 90s trying to distance themselves from this and show us who they really were as a band. They wanted to put the brakes on and be a part of something a bit more managable than the "Most Important Band in Rock" as they were called at one point.

I think they have done very well. They continue to sell albums and more importantly, they have a loyal fanbase and sell out concerts about everywhere they go. With a new album and a new tour starting in February, they really are the only band from the 90s to make it this far. Everyone else has either died, broke up or doesn't sell or draw a crowd.

 

Quit arguing and face the fact that Nirvana was/is a great band. There will and should never be a definite #1 band of all time. Why should there be? People have opinions and different tastes. I love Nirvana and they are my favorite band, so for me its easy to say they are the greatest of all time. But someone else may feel differently.

I can put in any CD of Nirvana and listen to it in its entirety without skipping a song. They are all great, but I think some of the unreleased stuff is even better than what was released. So get ready for more Nirvana-mania when/if the box set if finally released.

 

Really... I thought Incesticide was horrid. And as for songs I skip, there are a few on Nevermind and a few on In Utero, their best album.

 

Ahh Nirvana. I love that band still. Smells Like Teens Spirit was on MR ( )

I'm getting the Kurt Cobain Journals for Christmas.

 

Really... I thought Incesticide was horrid. And as for songs I skip, there are a few on Nevermind and a few on In Utero, their best album.

Really? I love Incesticide. Nevermind on the other hand..I really don't like the producing on that one, too slick, and I skip atleast 4 or 5 songs every time.

 

I'm kinda sick of Nirvana.

 

XV426


Very good and well stated argument.

 

Not everyone who does not like Incesticide is a sycophant. I am just not a big Nirvana fan. They are good but not this legendary "voice of a generation" crap.